Mr. J. Y. Johnson on new Fishes from Madeira. 59 



ings lateral ; no teeth on the mesial hne of the palate ; m the jaws 

 uniserial serrate teeth, having a tubercle at the posterior base. 



This genus differs from Murcena in having no teeth on the mesial 

 line, and in the form of the jaw-teeth. 



PSEUDOMUR^NA MADERENSIS, Sp. n. 



Body anguilliform, attenuating backwards from the nape, which is 

 deep and thick. Skin soft, thick, scaleless. Colour a yellowish 

 brown, darker on the head ; the anterior fourth of the body marked 

 with undulating lines, or narrow bands, of deeper brown, which are 

 arranged longitudinally before the gill-openings, and transversely 

 behind them, the change of direction being gradual. 



The head is gibbous behind the small eyes, which are oval, covered 

 with skin, and placed over the middle of the upper jaw. The snout 

 is obtuse and rounded ; the throat swollen. The posterior nostrils 

 are small, with slightly raised borders, and are placed a 

 little in front of the vertical through the middle of the 

 eye. The anterior nostrils issue in free tubes, which do 

 not quite reach to the tip of the snout. The jaws are 

 of moderate length and subequal ; the lips moderately 

 thick ; the inside of the mouth fuscous. The teeth are 

 uniserial, rather stout, pointed, conico-compressed, with 

 serrate edges, and a tubercle at the posterior base. They are slightly 

 curved backwards, and are longer in front than behind. In the upper 

 jaw there are about 16 ; in the lower jaw from 24 to 34. No teeth 

 on the mesial line or on the vomer. Rictus moderate. No barbel. 

 Gill-openings small, round, placed at the sides of the body about the 

 middle of the height. No pectorals or visible lateral line. The dorsal 

 fin commences at the nape, in front of the gill-openings, and is con- 

 tinuous with the caudal and the anal fins ; it is higher behind than in 

 front. The vent is in the hinder half of the body, and about Jg^th 

 of the total length behind the middle. The anal fin commences 

 within a short distance of the vent ; it is very low in front, where it 

 is cloaked by thick skin, and where there is a furrow at each side of 

 and parallel with its base; further behind, there are two parallel 

 furrows. The tail is compressed, the fin narrow and rounded. All 

 the fins are covered with a thick skin. 



Although several specimens of this Eel have been obtained (some 

 of which have been sent to the British Museum), it must still be con- 

 sidered as a rare fish. In colouring it resembles Thyrsoidea unicolor, 

 Kaup, from which it differs generically in the uniserial dentition. 



The following measurements were taken from a specimen having 

 a total length of 40f inches, with a depth, near the gill-openings, of 

 3j inches : — 



Inches. 

 Rictus 2A 



Gill-openings, distance from snout .5 



Vent, distance from snout 22^ 



Dorsal fin, distance from snout 4|^ 



In another specimen, 36| inches long, the longer axis of the eye 



